Filleting an Alaska Halibut

Cleaning an Alaska halibut can be a bit confusing, they are a bit different to fillet than most other fish you'll catch. There aren't too many fish out there that have both eyes on the same side of their head. Follow a few simple steps and you'll come out with good, tasty fillets every time.

First and foremost you need to make sure you have bleed your halibut fully. You also need to make sure that you have keep your fish relatively cool and out of the direct sunlight. Find a good place to start the process, most marinas have great places to clean fish. The one and only tool you need is a very sharp, thin bladed fillet knife.

Start with the dark side of the halibut facing up. From the top of the head to the end of the stomach cut a diagonal line all the way down to the bone, follow the bone structure along the gill plate. If you run your hand across the surface of this area
it should be obvious of where to cut. Draw a line in your head of the bone structure and make a cut all the way across the halibut. Following the spine of the halibut, from the tail work your way forward to the first cut toward the head. We are well on our way to some deep fried halibut and chips. But not quite yet. Now take your fillet knife and start cutting at an angle and continue the passes until the fillet is removed. Finish the cut from head to tail to provide a smooth, even cut. Fold the fillet back with your free hand to expose where you last cut, applying pressure to separate the fillet from the bone. Always practise proper safety by cutting away from yourself and by making sure your knife is very sharp. Now slice the other half of the halibut the same way. Use the same filleting methods on the white side of the halibut as you did on the brown side of the halibut.

Remember to keep that knife sharp and be safe and you'll be able to enjoy tasty halibut fillets for years to come.